Quraishi quits, IOA nomination scrutiny postponed

The scrutiny of the nominations for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections was postponed Friday after S.Y. Quraishi, chairman of the three-member election panel, quit saying that IOA had failed to follow the government guidelines.

Quraishi's decision has put the IOA in a spot of bother ahead of the elections scheduled Nov 25.

Returning officer Chief Justice V.K. Bali (Retired) has informed that nomination process will only start after the appointment of the new chairman of the election commission.

Quraishi in his resignation letter said that "he is quitting the commission because he wants that IOA elections be held under Sports Code of the Government of India."

IOA, on the other hand, has opposed the sports ministry's age and tenure guidelines while the International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants the election to be held under the Olympic charter. Election under the Sports Code is also not acceptable to IOC.

"I have replied to the IOC communiqué last night in which I made it clear, IOA's opposition to the Sports Code but stated that because of the High Court of Delhi directives this provision was included," IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said in a statement.

Malhotra said he will have consultation with other senior members of the IOA and will name Quraishi's replacement at the earliest.

He added: "The Sports Code, High Court of Delhi directive and IOC communiqué has led to lot of different interpretations".

Abhay Singh Chautala and his challenger Randhir Singh filed their nomination for the president's post Friday. Lalit Bhanot will fight it out to be the secretary general.